In her novel The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison writes, "Beauty was not simply something to behold; it was something one could do.” In this thematic collection, we have gathered texts that explore the promises and problems of beauty.
Publication year 1891
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Environment
Tags Animals, Science / Nature
Publication year 1995
Genre Poem, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Spoken Word Poetry, Politics / Government, History: World, Military / War, Grief / Death, American Literature
Publication year 1840
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature
Publication year 1821
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Grief / Death, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
The death of the young has been a thematic concern in literature since Antiquity. That untimely demise not only exposes human vulnerability but makes for melancholic contemplation over the waste of beauty, confidence, and youth’s energy. And when that person is an artist, still young and learning, the implications seem more tragic. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Adonais” (1821) is at one level a contemplation of the sudden death in 1821 of fellow poet John Keats. Keats... Read Adonais Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Children's Literature, Romance, Biography, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Travel Literature
Publication year 1966
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Arts / Culture
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Nation
Tags Arts / Culture, History: U.S., African American Literature, Creative Nonfiction, Gender / Feminism, Music, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mental Illness
Publication year 1940
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Military / War, Class, Depression / Suicide, Education, Science / Nature, Sports, Technology, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Love / Sexuality, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1711
Genre Poem, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Arts / Culture, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, British Literature, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction
Antelope Woman is a novel by Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) author Louise Erdrich. First published in 1998 as The Antelope Wife, Erdrich revised and updated the text in 2012 and re-issued it, adding new content, storylines, and chapters. Like much of Erdrich’s other work, the novel is a multi-generational story of both Indigenous and white families set in and around traditional Ojibwe lands in North Dakota and Minnesota. Erdrich is known for her use of magical realism... Read Antelope Woman Summary
Publication year 1756
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Age of Enlightenment, Literary Criticism, Gothic Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 1921
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Climate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 1919
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Lyric Poem, Parenting, Mythology
“A Prayer for my Daughter” by William Butler (W.B.) Yeats was originally published in his collection Michael Robartes and the Dancer in 1921. This book also includes one of Yeats’s most famous poems—“The Second Coming”—and was Yeats’s eighth collection of lyrical poems. “A Prayer for my daughter” was written in 1919, a year that marked the beginning of the Irish War of Independence. The war lasted until 1921 and heavily influenced Yeats. The poem’s location... Read A Prayer for My Daughter Summary
Publication year 1914
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Irish Literature, Education, Education
“Araby” is a short story by Irish writer James Joyce. The story is a part of Joyce’s renowned Dubliners collection, first published in 1914, which portrays daily life in the Irish city of Dublin in the early 20th century. In “Araby,” a young boy falls in love with his friend’s sister and attempts to purchase her a gift from the Araby Bazaar. The short story has been adapted as a song and a short film... Read Araby Summary
Publication year 1794
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1977
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Grief / Death, Biography
Sheldon Vanauken’s celebrated memoir A Severe Mercy is a moving portrait of deep love confronted with suffering and death. Published in 1977, A Severe Mercy was written by Vanauken from the compilation of many years’ worth of journal entries, hand-written letters, and firsthand accounts of the people and events that the narrative relates. As a Yale- and Oxford-trained scholar and professor of English and an accomplished poet and author, Vanauken brings his literary expertise to... Read A Severe Mercy Summary